Side burners don’t always get the credit they deserve. To a truly great outdoor grill, these convenient add-ons make an excellent companion cooking appliance. If your gas grill is the star of your outdoor setup, side burners will be the sidekicks that make your life easier. Choosing a burner from the same brand as your grill and other cooking appliances is recommended since it will simplify setup and make it more manageable and coordinated, achieving a unified aesthetic with consistent logos and design. While looking for the perfect burner to accompany your grill, it is also important to research whether the burner requires a connection to the gas grill or can operate on its own. These burners come in a few different designs that have their own important considerations, which is why our experts put together this handy buying guide to help you find the best one for your outdoor kitchen.

Determine Your Side Burners' Fuel Type

Natural Gas Burners

If your home has an existing natural gas line, this will be your best option. The most notable advantage is not needing a portable tank that will have to be stored and refilled. As always, a licensed plumber is a must for working with gas lines. They will need to handle your installation and verify that your meter can support the additional flow and pressure.

Shop Natural Gas Burners

Propane Burners

If natural gas is unavailable for your property, propane serves as an excellent alternative. You have two options for propane: a 20-lb propane tank or bulk propane storage, which involves a larger tank on your property refilled by a utility or bulk gas supplier. The installation of bulk propane requires a licensed professional to ensure the tank has sufficient pressure and flow for all appliances. For a consistent fuel supply, consider dedicating separate 20-lb propane tanks specifically for your grill and side burner.

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Choose Your Burner Type

Single Side Burners

  • Function exactly like a gas burner in your indoor range
  • They come in slide-in or drop-in configurations
  • Provide extra versatility for whipping up small sides
  • Can be useful for boiling and charring vegetables

Double Side Burners

  • Features two conventional gas burners
  • Works well for fitting griddles, roasting pans, and other cookware
  • Provides greater capacity and more heat
  • Typically fit into the same overall space as single burners

Power Burners

  • Reach higher and wider temperature ranges
  • Recessed heating element enables more delicate fire
  • Powerful double ring burners are strong enough for low country boils or wok cooking
  • More delicate fire allows you to carefully melt chocolate or butter

Infrared Searing Stations

  • Provides incredibly high and efficient heat
  • Great for searing steaks
  • Quickly preheats to searing temperatures in as little as 3 minutes
  • Achieve faster cooking times

Choose Your Side Burners' Configuration

Built-In Burners

  • Installed flush to the edge of your outdoor kitchen island
  • Forward-facing control knobs for easy access
  • Some models feature a built-in heat shield

Drop-In Burners

  • Do not have to be flush mounted to the edge of the countertop
  • Able to be installed in corners or tight spaces on your island
  • Models vary between front-facing and top-mounted knobs

Car-Mounted Burners

  • Attached to the side of certain freestanding grills
  • Built by manufacturers as grill-specific attachments to existing models
  • No installation required

Choose Your Burner Class

Find the outdoor burner classification that is right for you. We have divided our selection of outdoor kitchen burners into Luxury, Premium, and Practical classes based on their quality, performance, and features. Our experts have sorted the side burners we carry into one of these three classes so you can get a snapshot of whether it works for you.

Luxury Side Burner

  • Made of commercial-grade stainless steel for years of use in harsh environments
  • Reliable brands such as Summerset, Napoleon, and Blaze offer a lifetime warranty to protect your investment
  • Convenient features such as pull-out drip pans and LED-lit control knobs improve safety and aesthetics

Premium Side Burner

  • Constructed from stainless steel to ensure longevity
  • Some brands provide lifetime warranties, while most offer only 1-3 years of coverage
  • Feature the largest selection of brands

Practical Side Burner

  • Built with mixed materials that will result in shorter lifespans and varied quality between brands
  • Most Practical grill brands don't offer cart-mounted side burners as aftermarket accessories
  • Practical grill brands such as Weber, Broil King, and Saber offer grills with permanent cart-mounted burners

Other Considerations When Buying a Side Burner

Shopping for a side burner does not have to be difficult, but there are still some things to keep in mind as you make your final decision.

Clearance to Combustibles

It is typically recommended to avoid using combustible materials when building your outdoor kitchen island. However, if that is not an option, you will need an insulated jacket for your side burner. Some models have zero clearance to combustibles, allowing them to be installed directly into a combustible outdoor kitchen island that cannot accommodate a full built-in burner with an insulated jacket. Additionally, be aware that not every brand offering insulated jackets for their grills provides one for their burners. This is why it’s important to always do your research before making a purchase.

A Note on BTUs

British Thermal Units or “BTUs” represent the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of one pound of water by 1°F. The common conception is that the larger the BTU number, the hotter the appliance gets. However, this is not always the case. Power burners incorporate design elements that allow for more efficient heat utilization, as the heat is more focused. While BTUs are a reasonable consideration for recovery time when boiling water, it's possible that a power burner with lower BTUs with a more efficient construction will outpace competitors in boiling water faster. This is especially true for burners designed with a priority for efficiency rather than simply having higher BTUs. Wind can also be a factor that affects heat, so installing your built-in unit a few inches lower into the counter creates a good wind guard and stronger heat.

Non-Traditional Gas Burners

These products are all about increasing the versatility of an outdoor kitchen. Portable griddles or small gas grills can function as a side burner or secondary cooking surface. If you have the space to spare, a large charcoal grill or pizza oven makes a great companion grill. These are just a few of the ways you can increase your opportunity for culinary creativity.

Side Burner Accessories

Burner covers are a great companion to have on hand to keep your burners sleek and beautiful for years to come. Cast iron cookware, a cooking wok, or a griddle also pair well with these appliances no matter which one you choose. Each new piece only gives your power burner that much more versatility.

These often-overlooked accessories make a fantastic addition to any outdoor kitchen. For any additional questions about these products, or anything else we offer, give our fantastic outdoor living experts a call at (877) 743-2269.